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Toronto Sun
09-05-2025
- Toronto Sun
Most wanted GTA gun trafficker who skipped bail is nabbed in Atlanta
Get the latest from Brad Hunter straight to your inbox Kamar Cunningham in February 2021. Photo by Handout / Toronto Police The fourth time was not the charm for convicted firearms trafficker Kamar Cunningham. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Cunningham, 43, who had been sprung on bail three times, was arrested by the United States Marshals in Atlanta on Wednesday and is being held pending extradition back to Canada. Each time the gun runner breached his bail … he got bail again. The Bolo Program (be on the lookout) had been offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the capture of the 43-year-old. He had been wanted on a bench warrant, a Superior Court Bench Warrant, a surety warrant and failure to comply with a release order. Cunningham was arrested in June 2018 as part of Project Patton, an investigation into a cross-border gun-smuggling ring that brought firearms from the U.S. to the streets of Canada. GOT GUNS? Kamar Cunningham in May 2018. Photo by Handout / Toronto Police On Nov. 27, 2020, Cunningham was convicted of several firearms trafficking charges. But hope springs eternal in the criminal milieu, and he was sprung on bail while awaiting sentencing. Cunningham was sentenced to nine years in prison in absentia on May 4, 2021, but by that time, he was in the wind and skipped his court date. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. A Canada-wide warrant was then issued for his arrest. Cops say the convicted firearms trafficker was on bail for the third time when he skipped out on sentencing. At a March 19, 2024, press conference, Toronto Police Supt. Steve Watts told reporters that Project Patton was the largest seizure of firearms in the city's history at the time, with around 75 arrests. 'He has been released on bail three times,' Watts said of Cunningham. 'Each time he has violated his release conditions before being arrested and released on bail again … Not surprisingly, he did not appear once again for a sentencing hearing.' Handguns seized during Project Patton. Photo by Handout / Toronto Police Bolo director Maxime Langlois was puzzled as to why a convicted gun runner was out on bail, particularly after breaching three previous orders. 'This is the first time Bolo has had the displeasure of featuring a convicted criminal in a Toronto campaign,' Langlois said at the time. 'How is that even possible? … In six years of running Bolo, I've never heard such a lax application of bail by our courts.' He added: 'We're talking here about someone who had repeatedly shown a disregard for the rule of law, who had broken his bail conditions time and again, who was convicted of trafficking firearms and who, despite all this, was allowed to remain in the community.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Detectives had believed Cunningham had been hiding in plain sight in Toronto and 'continuing his criminal activities.' Cops also looked into the possibility that the Jamaican-born criminal was hiding on the Caribbean island. Watts added that the vast majority of the guns seized in GTA crimes are illegal firearms. 'Many of these weapons find their way onto our streets and find their way through illicit channels across the U.S.-Canadian border and into the hands of criminals who show absolutely no regard for human life,' he said in 2024. Police thanked the U.S. Marshals Service, Toronto Crime Stoppers and the Bolo Program for their assistance in nabbing Cunningham stateside. bhunter@ @HunterTOSun Canada Sunshine Girls Canada Columnists Toronto Maple Leafs
Global News
02-05-2025
- Global News
B.C. fugitive returned to Canada after 3-year international investigation
A B.C. fugitive has been returned to Canada after an international investigation that spanned three years. Cody Casey cut off his ankle bracelet and fled Canada while out on bail in April 2022, according to Vancouver police. This sparked an investigation that spanned 14 countries. Casey was arrested in the Middle East on Oct. 5, 2024, by Royal Oman Police and returned to Canada last week following a six-month extradition process. 'This was a complex, multi-jurisdictional investigation that required extraordinary collaboration and perseverance,' Insp. Phil Heard, commanding officer of Vancouver Police Department's organized crime section, said in a statement. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'We are grateful to our partners across Canada and abroad, including the RCMP, the Bolo Program, and the Royal Oman Police, for their unwavering support in bringing Cody Casey back to face justice.' Story continues below advertisement Casey was initially charged in 2020 with 17 criminal offences, including the production and trafficking of fentanyl, as well as numerous firearms-related charges following an investigation by the Vancouver Police Department. He disappeared weeks before his trial was scheduled to start. Casey was named Canada's third most wanted person by the BOLO Program, which announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. Police said investigators worked with agencies in 14 countries and the investigation eventually led to Oman, where Casey was arrested. 'We have a duty to bring fugitives to justice. There can be no safe haven for those trying to evade the law,' Liam Price, RCMP's director general of international special services, said. 'RCMP Federal Policing collaborates with police across Canada and around the world to ensure that individuals who commit serious crimes are held accountable.' Casey was formally returned to Vancouver by VPD officers on April 24. He appeared in B.C. provincial court and remains in custody.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Yahoo
Canada's most wanted fugitive arrested 'in his hideout,' Italian police say
The country's most wanted fugitive, Dave "Pik" Turmel, has been arrested in Italy, according to Italian police sources. The 28-year-old, who had been on the run for over a year, is believed to be the leader of the Blood Family Mafia (BFM). The notorious street gang is involved in brutal turf wars in Quebec during which victims have been tortured and have had their limbs amputated. In a news release issued Friday in response to CBC News inquiries, Rome District Police announced they arrested the head of "a notorious criminal organization." Turmel was not named in the release, but in a call with CBC News, police confirmed the individual arrested was indeed Turmel. Dave 'Pik' Turmel, right, was the number 1 suspect of the Bolo Program. Last year, Roobens Denis, left, considered by police to be Turmel's right-hand man, was arrested in Portugal. (Provided by the Service de police de la Ville de Québec ) Italian police said Turmel specialized in the sale of narcotics of various kinds, including cocaine and methamphetamine and was taken "by surprise in his hideout" by the officers of Rome's Casilino district. "It was almost midnight when officers broke into the holiday home where the man had taken refuge," read the news release. "He immediately tried to barricade himself in, only to give in shortly afterward." He reportedly handed over a fake passport as identification and police found and confiscated drugs, several SIM-cards and an agenda. They said he is now in jail at Regina Coeli awaiting extradition. His presence was initially signalled by an alert sent to police by the Interpol International Police Cooperation Service, according to Italian police. WATCH | The efforts to find Canada's most wanted man: According to Radio-Canada sources, Quebec police officers received a tip about Turmel in recent days, which helped accelerate the investigation to locate him on the run in Italy. Sources say the informant was motivated by the reward of up to $250,000 being offered for any information leading to Turmel's arrest. On Thursday, a spokesperson with the Quebec City police says they could not confirm or deny Turmel's arrest in Italy. The police agency Interpol had also issued a red notice for him — a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender or similar legal action. Wanted since 2023 In December, Turmel was named the new number 1 suspect of the Bolo Program, a project operated by a Canadian charity to alert the public about dangerous criminals. He had been wanted since July 24, 2023 by Quebec City police for several charges, including drug trafficking, conspiracy and armed assault. Last year, Roobens Denis, 31, considered by police to be Turmel's right-hand man, was arrested in Portugal. The second most wanted fugitive in Canada is All Boivin, who is believed to be Turmel's sidekick. Police say Boivin is also involved in the violent drug-related turf wars that have erupted in Quebec. An award of up to $250,000 is being offered until June 3, 2025, for information leading to his arrest.
CBC
27-03-2025
- CBC
Canada's most wanted fugitive arrested in Italy
The country's most wanted fugitive, Dave "Pik" Turmel, has been arrested in Italy, police sources have confirmed to Radio-Canada. The 28-year-old, who has been on the run for over a year, is believed to be the leader of the Blood Family Mafia (BFM). The notorious street gang is involved in brutal turf wars in Quebec during which victims have been tortured and have had their limbs amputated. In December, Turmel was named as the new number 1 suspect of the Bolo Program, a project operated by a Canadian charity to alert the public about dangerous criminals. He had been wanted since July 24, 2023 by Quebec City police for several charges, including drug trafficking, conspiracy and armed assault. The police agency Interpol had also issued a red notice for him — a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender or similar legal action. Last year, Roobens Denis, 31, considered by police to be Turmel's right-hand man, was arrested in Portugal.
